Serbian History 101

SOCIAL NETWORKING 

( Good old-fashioned networking, Serbian style!)

In today's age, it is important that we stay connected and try to aid each other in as many ways as possible.  This website page is my humble attempt to help other novices also get into the New Age of Marketing. 

I attended a WEBINAR today (1/21/10) online "class" (sitting right here at home!), sponsored by Social Media Magic. The company used CITRIX to present this. The Webinar was incredibly seamless for beginner users like me.  Citrix did all the hard work. All I had to do was "show up" and pay attention to my computer in front of me.  

The sponsors of this educational marketing adventure were John Souza and a fellow named Greigg, who shared their success based strategies with their students, all over the USA, perhaps the world.  

The webinar focused on how Social Media is used by entrepreneurs and how it benefits businesses. Two interesting statistics:  34% of bloggers post reviews and opinions on products.  42 million women in the US use social media like Facebook and Myspace.

The teacher presenters listed 5 steps to follow for effectiveness to maximize ROI. (Return on Investment-Time /True Cost/Value- see below.)

Social Media is an open communications network, social networking with news, bookmarks, blogs, microblogs, videos and photo sharing, message boards, wikis, virtual reality, social gaming, podcasts, Real Simple Synd. (RSS) feeds, social media press releases, etc.

"Telling and Selling" is dead.  The new key is Demonstrating, Empowering, and Creating Business by Building Relationships.

As the Original Internet was Web 1.0, this is Web 2.0, and will have an incredible impact on how we live, work and play in the future.  I want all the people who like this website to be ready!

Below are listed (supposedly!) some of the most popular Social Media Network Platforms for you to check out.  However, I think there are more than 250 out there.....and growing every day!

Networking-

A compilation of thoughts from the web/webinar.

When you meet someone for the first time, engage in conversations, but be real. Connect to others and invite your new contacts to also connect, with you playing host/hostess.  Treat everyone with kindness and respect.  

FOLLOW UP.  Try to send that person you met an email later in the day while you have fresh remembrances of your meeting.  That person will admire you for thinking they're important to you and it shows you're a person of action, not all talk, a real rarity these days.

Nuture a positive project culture.  Establish an environment built on trust, creativity and open collaboration.

News from the WEBINAR: 

YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BE INVISIBLE!

73% of active online users read blogs.

45% own blogs

39% subscribe to RSS feeds

57% have joined Social Networks.

55% have uploaded photos.

33% engage in productive research. 

All of this will rapidly increase in the future.   Get on board now!

The new BUZZ AGENT!  

"One word of mouth conversation is equal to 200 TV ads."  

You can get real time feedback from your fellow social media connections.... and nothing beats the Power of Recommendation!

In the first 90 days, Social Media allows you to:

1.  Generate Exposure for your business.

2.  Increase your traffic leads, sometimes by 80% with an "opt-in-list."

3.  Build new business partnerships wherein ONE new partnership instantly brings in new prospects for you.  (62%)

4. Bringing in (generating) new qualified leads can lead to 50% more business. 

But it has to be done right.

5 Steps to Success 

1.  STRATEGIZE.

2.  Establish a Presence.

3.  Expand your Reach.

4.  Nurture Relationships.

5.  Properly Maintain Presence.

Your PROFILE should be as inviting as possible.

Keep your eye on the Prize.

You're in for the long term, every day for the rest of your life.  Out of sight, out of mind. Stay in touch!

You must TARGET your audience as numbers alone are meaningless.

Build PERSONAL relationships for your business.  Start with conversation before ever mentioning your business.

Be Transparent, BE TRUSTWORTHY! 

It's a ZERO-SUM game.  You have to do it right or there are no benefits.

Be an Industry Leader, and not a follower. 

Be Strategic and Map people down the path to buy your goal.

Excellent business examples are BBGeeks (Blackberry platform), Bridge2Growth; Masi Bicycles; The Coffee Groundz in Houston.

Drill down, use the Advance features on Social Media sites. Don't talk to everyone, but TARGET your audience.  

Join groups that have your targeted audience for prospects.

Create your own groups and prequalify your connections.  "Join now if _______" 

Add VALUE to the conversation, help solve problems.

TOP 3 Social Media Sites:

 TWITTER-86%

 Linked-In-78%

 Facebook-77%

Of course these percentages could change daily! 

The WEBINAR Social Media experts  suggested that a business should visit all 8 sites every day!

BIZNIK

FAST PITCH

PLAXO

MERCHANT CIRCLE

Q ALIAS

Start with Profiles on all 8 sites and maximize the entry points.

Integrate the sites together to help drive growth. 

(I left Merchant Circle off as when I went to add the link, I read several unfavorable comments.) 

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These are all excellent tools for Non-Profits too,

to help drive members and help drive donations!

Niche sites, related to your target audience "will be like having low hanging fruit for you to harvest!"

Also check out

Ping.fm

socialoomph.com

to help connect with your target audience and build brand awareness.

For leads & partnership deals. 

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 Hope this helps!

We welcome your questions and queries.   But it might be a case of the blind leading the blind.  I'm just learning too!

Mim Bizic

m.bizic@comcast.net

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 Lisa Gualtieri, PhD at Tufts University said at a Health Conference on Social Media at the end of January 2010, that North America is number 1 in World Internet usage.

73% of the population use the Internet to get email and other information

93% of 18-29 yr. olds  

81% of 30-48 yr. olds

70% of 50-64 yr. olds

38% of age 65+

Research shows the more education, the most Internet usage.

Wireless and hand-held mobile devices are used by 59% men and 51% women.

Mobile devices=2.8 billion cell phone subscribers in the world, 3 times the number of PCs, laptops and servers.

According to a Harris Poll,s 60-84% of U.S. adults are online fairly regularly.

The fastest growing demographic group of users are the 11-18 years olds. 

Fastest growing group on Facebook are the 55+ year olds. 

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Another site to visit is 

 Mashable.com

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